Conference Announcement

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Date: Thu, 15 Jan 1998 09:59:05 +0100
From: Alberto Peruzzi <peruzzi@dada.it>

We are pleased to announce a conference on

		Wholes and their Parts (W/P)

to be held in

		Bolzano, Maretsch Castle, 17-19 June 1998


1. PRESENTATION
Science is connected to the complementarity of analysis and synthesis. It
may be said that classical physics is characterized by an in-built analysis
of the world into constituent parts (such as atoms or elementary particles).
These are then recomposed together to provide, by means of synthesis, any
system; interactions are linearly and locally described; the resulting
hierarchy of structures is grounded on such constituent parts.
In contemporary science, the age of "pure" analysis seems to have ended.
There are deep mathematical reasons for this. Non-linear systems have
properties that, in general, cannot be expressed in terms of decomposition
into ultimate, unstructured, pointlike parts plus a suitable sets of
relations among them. Moreover, the "dialectic" of quantity and quality is
subtler than was previously thought and this dialectic is needed in the
explanation of all sorts of phenomena. It arises not only in physics, but
also in the study of cognitive systems and natural and programming languages.
Within psychology, it is said that "Gestalten" are cohesive wholes and that
"the whole is more than the sum of its parts". But what does this mean
exactly? Similar questions emerge in other contexts as well.
What is relevant for the foundations of science, the need for a clear
understanding of the part/whole relationships, emerges even in logic and
mathematics, since these provide the tools for organizing our rational image
of the world, in its multi-stratified complexity.
Thus, we are faced with the problem of relating in a possibly coherent way
the various forms of part/whole relationships arising in different branches
of science.
We have not only to classify the different kinds of wholes and their
inherent "grammars", but also to take into account the process of formation
for wholes, in order to describe precisely in which sense the whole emerges
out of its parts and is irreducible to an aggregate of autonomous, more or
less pointlike, entities.
What makes (in part, at least) the difference between mere aggregates and
cohesive wholes? The members of the whole do not simply hang together: they
hang together in the whole, and the structure of the whole influences the
description of the parts and their local interactions. In view of the
growing interest in this sort of pattern, of so deep relevance for
theoretical and applied sciences, it is therefore suitable to clarify the
whole/part issues in crucial fields of research, to compare different
approaches and to develop a foundational discussion.


2. PROGRAM

June 17
9 Registration
10 Bill Lawvere, Opening Lecture
11,30 Coffee break
12 John Bell, W/P in algebraic and logical structures
13-15 Lunch
15 Ieke Moerdjik, W/P in geometry, topology and topos theory
16 Coffee break
16,30 Colin McLarty, W/P in foundations of mathematics
17,30 Carlo Cellucci, W/P in logical analysis

June 18
9 Steve Vickers, W/P in semantics for programming languages
10 Gonzalo Reyes, W/P in categorical analysis of language
11 Coffee break
11,30 John Mayberry, W/P in set theory
12,30-15 Lunch
15 Niles Eldredge, W/P in biology
16 Coffee break
16,30 Alberto Peruzzi, W/P in epistemology and semantics
17,30 Roberto Poli, W/P in ontology

June 19
9 Ettore Casari, W/P in phenomenology
10 Alf Zimmer, W/P in Gestalt psychology
11 Coffee break
11,30 Ron Langacker, W/P in linguistics
12,30-15 Lunch
15 George Lakoff, W/P in cognitive sciences (to be confirmed)
16 Coffee break
16,30 Chris Isham, W/P in quantum topology
17,30 Basil Hiley, W/P in mechanics and cosmology

3. UPDATES

To keep you updated with more information on the conference this is the URL
for the W/P home page:

http://www.gelso.unitn.it/~poli/


4. REGISTRATION FEES

Registration fees only cover the participation in this conference.
Miscellaneous expenses (accomodation, meals and social activities) are in
addition.
The registration deadline to get the early registration fare is : March
1998, 31st.
Students must enclose with the registration form a photocopy of their
student card.

–––––––––––+––––––––––––––––––––––––––––+–––––––––––––––––
Status	       Early registration (before 3/31/98)	Late registration
–––––––––––+––––––––––––––––––––––––––––+–––––––––––––––––
Student		  50,000			100,000
Scholar		100,000			200.000
Industrial		200,000			300.000
–––––––––––+––––––––––––––––––––––––––––+–––––––––––––––––


5. ACCOMODATION

Participants should book their own accomodation. A selected hotel list is
the following one:

PARKHOTEL LAURIN****
4, Laurinstrasse
single-room and breakfast: 180,000-265,000
tel. +39 471 31 10 00, fax +39 471 31 11 48

CITTA’***
21, Waltherplatz
single-room and breakfast: 110,000
tel. +39 471 97 52 21; fax: +39 471 97 66 88

FEICHTER**
15, via Weintraubengasse
single-room and breakfast: 60,000-80,000
tel. +39 471 978 768; fax: +39 471 974 803

REGINA ANGELORUM**
1, Rittnerstrasse
single-room and breakfast: 65,000-85,000
tel.: +39 471 972195; fax: +39 471 97 89 44

KOLPINGHAUS** (Student house)
3, Spitalgasse
single-room and breakfast: 50,000-65,000
tel.: +39 471 97 11 70; fax.: +39 471 97 39 17

(all the above hotels are at a walkable distance from both the railway
station and Maretsch Castle.)

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
City tourist office
8, Waltherplatz
tel.: +39 471 307 000 / 001 / 002
fax.: +39 471 98 01 26 or +39 471 98 03 00
Time table: 8.30-18.00; Saturday 9-12.30
closed on sunday and holidays.


6. METHODS OF PAYMENT

Cheques :	Made out in Italian Liras, payable to Istituto Mitteleuropeo di
Cultura, vicolo Gumer 7, 39100 Bolzano, ITALY.

Bank transfers :
Sorry but you will have to pay the banking charges (if you don't,
your registration will be considered as incomplete).
Please enclose with this form a copy of your transfer. This copy
should mention the name and adress of your bank.
Do not forget to write down your name on the transfer.
The bank transfer must be done in Italian Liras on the account:

Bank : 	                Cassa di Risparmio di Bolzano
Account number : 	873900
Swift Codes:	ABI: 06045; CAB: 11601
References :	W/P conference / your name
Address :		Istituto Mitteleuropeo di Cultura
                                vicolo Gumer 7
                                39100 Bolzano, Italy

If these methods of payment are inconvenient, it will be possible for you to
pay cash once you are in Bolzano. In this case, you will have to pay the
late registration fee. Some exceptions to these arrangements can be made for
people coming from countries which do not allow any of the long distance
methods of payment above.

7. CANCELLATION

Cancellations received before April 1998, 15th: running costs = 20,000 It Liras
Cancellations received after May 1998, 15th: running costs = 50% of the
registration fees

8. REGISTRATION FORM

Name: ____________________________________________

First Name: ________________________________________

Institution: _________________________________________

Address: ___________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

Country: ___________________________________________

Phone : ___________________________
Fax : _____________________________
E-mail : __________________________

Date : _____________________
Signature : ___________________________

To return by e-mail to : poli@risc1.gelso.unitn.it

A copy of this registration form together with the justificatory of payment
and the copy of the student card has to be sent by surface mail to :

Istituto Mitteleuropeo di Cultura
vicolo Gumer 7
39100 Bolzano
ITALY

9. CONFERENCE COMMITTEE

Alberto Peruzzi:	peruzzi@dada.it
Roberto Poli:	poli@risc1.gelso.unitn.it
*************************************
Roberto Poli
Department of Sociology and Social Research
26, Verdi street
38100 Trento -- Italy
Tel. ++39-461-881-403
Fax: ++39-461-881-348
e-mail: poli@risc1.gelso.unitn.it
Axiomathes: http://www.soc.unitn.it/dsrs/axiomathes.htm
IMC: http://www.soc.unitn.it/dsrs/IMC.htm


Alberto Peruzzi
Dipartimento di Filosofia
Università di Firenze
via Bolognese 52
50139 Firenze
Italia

peruzzi@dada.it